Shane's Picks

This is a definite must for historical fiction fans. This book was not at all what I thought it would be. And that is a good thing. I thought this would be a book wholly about the child molestation scandal in the church. But it was so much more. The beauty of a historical novel set in recent history is how current and yet far away the world seems. Spanning several decades in modern Ireland's rocky history, we get a picture of a man, a family, the church, the world around us. And the ending was so powerful. -Shane's May Staff Pick, 2015

BETTY! In so many ways, this is almost a story of my life. I grew up gay in a small Missouri town. It is not easy, but it is often amusing. I did something I have not done in so many years. I dog-eared pages in the book because I knew that they were something I would want to come back to again and again. Read this book! -Shane's May Staff Pick, 2015

Not your run-of-the-mill mystery. At the core is a teenage girl who has disappeared while on a run. Her family had been vacationing in Colorado. The story lies with how her family copes with the everyday struggle of living with hope. It is beautifully crafted and works with present day and flashbacks. This book was not what I was expecting, but I was not disappointed. -Shane's April Staff Pick, 2015

Not your run-of-the-mill mystery. At the core is a teenage girl who has disappeared while on a run. Her family had been vacationing in Colorado. The story lies with how her family copes with the everyday struggle of living with hope. It is beautifully crafted and works with present day and flashbacks. This book was not what I was expecting, but I was not disappointed. -Shane's March Staff Pick, 2015

Richard Blanco's memoir Prince of Los Cocuyos surprised me with how much I loved it. Full of humor and genuine heartfelt moments, Blanco describes his childhood growing up in a first-generation household. I think the best message the book gives is how to overcome misunderstanding. Definitely one of the best books I read this year. -Shane's February Staff Pick, 2015

There are so many important things about this book. Racism, hazing, sexual identity, family relationships. You will want to pass this on to your friends so that you can have someone to talk to. I think the third and fourth chapters contain some of the most personal and significant moments in the book. The power of Blow's writing and how raw his story is will make you open your eyes to the world of deep South post-Segregation lives. Fire Shut Up In My Bones has a place in history. -Shane's January Staff Pick, 2014

You will want to become a stage actor and perform all of these wonderful short gems to all of your friends. They, of course, will need to buy tickets to your performance and bring at least a dozen roses to throw at your feet when they finally stop crying from all the laughing they have done. They will praise you and your comic genius. You will then have to come clean and tell them that you did not write this. Bob Odenkirk did. They will still thank you. But they will never trust you again. -Shane's Holiday Staff Pick, 2014

Jon Klassen & Mac Barnett are geniuses. This is a wonderful story that is sure to get a good giggle out of any kid (and plenty of parents too). The illustrations are beautiful. If you haven't picked up I Want My Hat Back, This Is Not My Hat, and Battle Bunny please do. You will love all of these books! Your kids will thank you. -Shane's December Staff Pick, 2014

Stunning, moving, & beautiful. I could not put this down. I took it everywhere for two days, popping it out every opportunity I had. Maybe not the best idea since I ended up crying in my car in a parking lot. So crying happened. -Shane's November Staff Pick, 2014

The thrilling conclusion of the Elemental Series by Antony John is the perfect way to wrap things up. I am recommending that you read this entire series (if you haven't already). Antony is a local author that we LOVE. Pirates, supernatural powers, plague, and love. It is a wonderful book. The author said he wrote the book for the 14 year old version of himself, but I feel like it reaches out to the inner-teen in everyone. -Shane's November Staff Pick, 2014